Phase separation induced by shear quenching in polymer blends with a diblock copolymer

The effects of adding A–B diblock copolymer to a polymer blend (A/B) on phase‐separation kinetics and morphology have been investigated in a fixed shallow‐quench condition (ΔT = 1.5 °C) by in situ time‐resolved light scattering and phase‐contrast optical microscopy. A shear‐quench technique was used in this study instead of a conventional temperature‐quench method. Mixtures of nearly monodisperse low relative‐molecular masses of polybutadiene (M_w = 2.8 kg/mol), polystyrene (M_w = 2.6 kg/mol), and a near‐symmetric butadiene–styrene diblock copolymer (M_w = 6.3 kg/mol) as an interfacial modifier were studied. We observed that the addition of the diblock copolymer could either retard or accelerate the phase‐separation kinetics depending on the concentration of the diblock copolymer in the homopolymer blends. In contrast to the conventional temperature quench, we observed complex phase‐separation kinetics in the intermediate and late stages of phase separation by the shear‐quench technique. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 819–830, 2001     

Phosphorous disulfide and its ions in the electronic ground state: a gas phase theoretical study

Ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory calculations were performed on the electronic ground states of the open-shell PS₂ molecule and its singly charged ions. A comparison of the optimized molecular structures indicates as the stepwise one-electron reduction of the PS₂⁺ ion, to yield PS₂ and PS₂⁻, provokes a symmetric elongation of both PS bonds along with a bending of its linear equilibrium geometry. The ionization potential (IP), adiabatic electron affinity (EA_ad), and atomization energy (AE) of the open-shell PS₂ molecule were calculated at different levels of theory. The following values were obtained at the more realistic UMP4SDTQ/6-311+G(3df)//UHF/6-311+G(3df) level of theory: IP=8.32 eV, EA_ad=3.03 eV and AE=12.40 eV. At the same level of theory, the calculated vertical detachment energy (VDE) of the PS₂⁻ anion is 3.22 eV. The donor–acceptor complexes formed in the gas-phase upon interaction of either one or two ammonia molecules with PS₂⁺ were also investigated. The calculated gas-phase binding energies indicate that the formation of the bis-adduct is favored over that of the mono-adduct by a binding energy gain of about 20 kcal/mol.     

Facile method to prepare monodispersed Ag/polystyrene composite microspheres and their properties

This article presents a facile method to prepare silver/polystyrene composite microspheres. In this approach, monodispersed polystyrene (PS) particles were synthesized with carboxyl acid groups on the surfaces of the PS particles via dispersion polymerization at first. With the addition of [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ to the PS dispersion, [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ was absorbed to the surfaces of the PS particles, and then by heating the system, [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ complex ions were reduced to silver to form the Ag/PS composite microspheres. In the synthesis of PS dispersion, PVP was used as dispersant to stabilize the PS particles, it also acted as reducing agent in the reduction of [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ complex ions to silver, so no additional reducing agent was needed. The resulting composite microspheres were characterized by TEM, SEM, XPS, and XRD. The catalytic properties and surface‐enhance Raman scattering (SERS) was studied as well. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4547–4554, 2009     

Improvement of interfacial adhesion in PP/PS blends enhanced with supersonic atmosphere plasma spraying surface‐treated carbon fiber

The effects of surface treatment of a carbon fiber (CF) by supersonic atmosphere plasma spraying (SAPS) on the interfacial adhesion behavior and morphology of polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) matrix blends filled CF composites were investigated. Effects of surface treated a commercial CF on mechanical properties are studied. Contact angle was measured to examine the changes in wettability of the CF. The chemical and morphological changes were characterized by using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. PP/PS/CF composites were fabricated with and without SAPS treatment, and their interlaminar fracture toughnesses were compared. The results showed that the interlaminar shear strength of composites has been greatly improved filled SAPS modification CF. The water contact angle of resin sample decreased 50% after addition of SAPS surface‐treated CF. Scanning electron microscopy results on the fractured surface exhibited PP/PS blends adhered well around the CFs of the SAPS‐treated specimen compared with that of the untreated specimen. This attributed to the CF interlock, and it improves the wetting between fibers and resins. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large impact in electrical properties of polypropylene by improving the filler-matrix interface effect in PP/PS blends

Inorganic nanoparticles are widely used to improve space charge behavior, DC breakdown strength and other electrical properties of polymer insulating materials, but the uniform distribution of inorganic nanofillers in matrix is difficult due to their agglomeration and bad compatibility with the polymeric matrix. In this paper, polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS) blends were prepared to suppress space charge accumulation and improve DC breakdown strength. Polypropylene-g-polystyrene (PP-g-PS) graft copolymer was used as compatibilizer to improve the compatibility of PP matrix and PS filler. The evolution of microstructure of PP/PS blends were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), the space charge distributions were measured by a pulsed electro-acoustic (PEA) system, and DC breakdown strength was also tested. The morphologies show that the size of PS particles reduced to 310 nm when the content of PP-g-PS graft copolymer increased to 24 wt%, and the interaction between PP matrix and PS particles enhanced. The presence of PS particles in all PP/PS blends suppressed the space charge accumulation compared to neat PP, but the DC breakdown strength in uncompatibilized blend was lower than neat PP. The increasing of content of PP-g-PS improved the DC breakdown strength with the maximum value of 408.9 kV/mm was obtained. This may attribute to excellent interface structure formed between PP matrix and PS particles.     

Comparative study of natural rubber/clay nanocomposites prepared from fresh or concentrated latex

Rubbers are usually compounded with different chemicals and fillers in order to modify their properties to suit the end applications. Natural rubber (NR) contains different natural occurring materials and this brings about subtle complexities in controlling compound and vulcanizate properties. Thus, the aim of this paper is to illustrate that the properties of compounds and vulcanizates of NR/clay prepared from fresh field latex and from concentrated latex are different. Different amounts of pristine clay were added to the two latices and their viscosity determined. The latex mixtures were next coagulated to form solid filled rubbers and their properties examined. Vulcanizates of these solid rubbers were then prepared and their properties, also, were determined. The cause of an observed variation is attributed to soluble proteins in the fresh field latex. Structural models to explain this are proposed.     

含二十二烷基聚氧乙烯醚甲基丙烯酸酯功能单体的缔合型乳液增稠剂的制备及表征

以甲基丙烯酸、丙烯酸乙酯、邻苯二甲酸二烯丙酯和不同量的功能单体二十二烷基聚氧乙烯醚甲基丙烯酸酯(BEM)为原料,采用半连续乳液聚合方法合成了疏水改性碱溶性缔合型增稠剂乳液.测定了增稠剂乳液的粘度、透光率、乳胶粒粒径及其分布等性能,考察了不同固含量下乳液粘度和透光率随pH的变化情况.结果表明随着BEM用量的增加,乳胶粒粒径逐渐增大.随着pH值的增加,乳液的粘度首先迅速升高,然后缓慢下降.与不含BEM的增稠剂乳液相比,当乳液固含量大于0.5%,BEM含量占单体量低于5.0wt%时,该缔合型增稠剂的增稠效果和抗剪切性有显著提高,BEM含量较高(8.0wt%或更高)时反而使增稠效果和抗剪切性变差.在此基础上研究了增稠剂对苯丙乳液的增稠效应,结果显示BEM含量占单体量的2.5wt%时,对苯丙乳液的增稠作用最好.与使用功能单体三苯乙基苯酚聚氧乙烯醚甲基丙烯酸酯改性的增稠剂相比,含BEM的增稠剂在BEM用量较少的情况下就能起到明显的增稠效果.     

用聚合物乳液粒子构造纳米孔隙超低反射表面

由于粒子堆积膜的孔隙率有限,用聚合物乳液直接组装的纳米孔隙膜在膜厚和折射率的调节能力方面都受到限制,需要可以单独调控粒子膜孔隙率的手段.将聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)和聚苯乙烯(PS)的二元混合乳液在PMMA基板上旋涂,再用环己烷选择性溶去PS粒子得到了超低反射的纳米孔隙膜.改变混合乳液的组成可以调节多孔膜的空隙率,使多层纳米孔隙膜的有效折射率从1.36降低到1.07;调节旋涂速度和成膜乳液的浓度可以控制孔隙膜的厚度.在优化的条件下,在PMMA基板上制备的孔隙膜在波长585nm处的最低反射率仅0.03%、在450～800nm的可见光谱范围内的平均反射率低于0.4%.以本方法制备的纳米孔隙膜有较好的稳定性,在水中用超声波清洗30min后,膜的低反射性能几乎不变.     

亲水性聚硅氧烷改性天然乳胶的性能

以亲水性聚硅氧烷KGF-903共混改性天然乳胶,通过拉力试验、老化试验、接触角测量和扫描电子显微镜等研究了聚硅氧烷的添加量对天然乳胶力学性能、抗老化性能、亲水性能和表面形貌的影响。结果表明,KGF-903含量在1.5%时拉伸强度有最佳的改性效果;KGF-903添加量约为3%时断裂伸长率达到最大,老化前后的断裂伸长率比改性前分别提高57%和50%。随着KGF-903含量的增加,改性天然乳胶片的水接触角逐渐减小;扫描电子显微镜观察的结果表明,添加聚硅氧烷能改变乳胶的分散状态。利用小试的最佳配方(即KGF-903的添加量为1.5%)生产了2批次医用导尿管,其表面光洁度、导尿管球囊的成品率、管身硬度、连接器与导尿管排泄锥形接口所承受的拉力和充气漏斗与引流漏斗连接处所承受的拉力等均有显著的提高,有效改善了产品的质量。     

聚(苯乙烯-co-甲基丙烯酸)胶体晶体原位反转制备孔阵列研究

利用甲苯浸泡法,将聚(苯乙烯-co-甲基丙烯酸)(P(Sc-o-MAA))胶体晶体转变成孔阵列,利用扫描电镜和原子力显微镜详细研究了胶体球在向孔转变过程中结构的变化细节,同时利用表面元素分析法检测其反转前后元素含量的变化.结果表明,在选择性溶剂作用下,胶体球经历了溶胀—粘连—破裂—溶解—成孔—扩张等一系列变化,处于内核的聚苯乙烯被溶出胶体球后不仅填充到球与球之间的空隙中而且扩散到了溶剂中,而胶体球表面富集的聚甲基丙烯酸链段与溶出的聚苯乙烯混合物则主要对孔结构起固定和支撑作用,但长时间的甲苯浸泡最终会破坏孔的结构和阵列的完整性.